By In an effort to protect American troops from paycuts during the ongoing shutdown, President Donald Trump has directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to redirect unused Pentagon funds to ensure U.S. service members receive their paychecks on time, even as the government shutdown drags into its second week.
The Saturday order targets the looming Oct. 15 pay deadline, which threatened to interrupt salaries for more than 1.3 million active-duty troops, National Guard members, and Defense Department civilians. By tapping roughly $8 billion in unobligated research and development balances from the prior fiscal year, the administration intends to issue mid-month payments without waiting for Congress to act—a move that has ignited constitutional debate.
Trump announced the plan on Truth Social, writing, “We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”
The measure relieves mounting pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has faced calls to reconvene the chamber for a vote on a stand-alone bill ensuring troop compensation. That proposal, authored by Rep. Jen Kiggans, a Republican from Virginia, a former Navy pilot, has drawn 174 co-sponsors, including 60 Democrats. “This is exactly what my Pay Our Troops Act was aiming to accomplish! I am grateful for a Commander-in-Chief who cares about our service members and their families.”
Thank you President @realDonaldTrump for your decisive leadership! This is exactly what my Pay Our Troops Act was aiming to accomplish! I am grateful for a Commander-in-Chief who cares about our service members and their families. Now it’s time to get the government open! pic.twitter.com/1dAeiwA98F
— Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (@RepJenKiggans) October 11, 2025
Democratis, however, fearing that they may lose one of their hostages, have threatened to sue over paying our troops, a move that drew skepticism from even liberal outlets.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, was clear: “There’s no inherent power that the president has, and certainly no inherent power that [Office of Management and Budget Director] Russ Vought has to move money around that’s been appropriated by … House, Senate, Democrats and Republicans, that’s the law of the land,” she said, accusing the administration of “violating the law left and right.”
The Pentagon has declined to comment on whether the move complies with federal appropriations statutes.
Administration officials confirmed the effort will extend to U.S. Coast Guard personnel—who fall under the Department of Homeland Security—by using resources from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed in July.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have rejected seven GOP attempts to pass a “clean” continuing resolution through mid-November, insisting on extensions of subsidized health-care benefits for low-income Americans. The deadlock has slowed key operations, including shipyards critical to national defense.
Despite ongoing partisan wrangling, public criticism of Trump’s directive has been muted. For now, his executive workaround may offer temporary relief, but Democrats know when they have a good hostage and don’t plan to give it up anytime soon.
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